Some say that the sun is good for our health, including our skin health. And there is some truth to that.
Benefits of getting a healthy amount of sunlight may include improved mood and higher vitamin D production.
But too much sunlight can also be dangerous to our skin. Sunburns and, especially, skin cancer are two potential harmful effects of getting too much sun.
But how does the sun affect acne? Does the sun help acne, does it make it worse, or does it not affect acne one way or the other?
Below you’ll find out the facts when it comes to the sun and acne.
Does The Sun Help Acne?
No, the sun will not necessarily help you with your acne problems. Despite claims of sunlight being a good remedy for acne, it may actually make it worse.
The idea that exposure to the sun might aid in the removal of acne lesions, like so many other skincare myths, is based on a misunderstanding of how the sun truly affects your body. Many people assume that exposure to the sun will dry off acne-causing oil, preventing outbreaks from occurring.
Acne development is frequently made worse by excessive oil production. This can occur at the same time with other factors such as bacteria and hormonal abnormalities. However, the drying effect that the sun has on the skin eventually does more harm than good to the skin’s overall health.
Why Sun Exposure Is Bad For Skin
Let us put it this way: when exposed to intense, direct sunlight for more than a few minutes, your skin is exposed to a significant amount of ultraviolet radiation. This UV radiation harms your skin, forcing it to expel oil and water due to the damage it has suffered.
The result is skin that seems drier and less oily than normal, which is typically an appearance that is beneficial in treating acne. Because of the state of your skin at the time of this treatment, whiteheads, blackheads, lesions, and other kinds of acne that normally appear huge, red, and apparent may temporarily diminish.
Because of this, you may get the impression that sunshine is healing your acne, which may be the source of this common myth.
The type of dryness caused by UV damage, on the other hand, is not the same as the drying effect that skin treatments such as tretinoin can have on acne-prone areas of the skin. Instead of drying out your skin due to a faster skin cell turnover cycle, UV-damaged skin appears dry as a result of being deprived of its natural oil.
As a result of prolonged exposure to the sun, the skin begins to dry and thicken. When this occurs, your body responds by creating even more oil to make up for the amount of oil that has been lost. And this can lead to even more outbreaks.
Additionally, getting a tan might help to conceal any flaws on your skin’s surface temporarily. However, while that method will help in the short term, exposing your skin to too much sunlight can eventually backfire, resulting in even more outbreaks in the future.
Aside from acne, unsafe UV exposure could lead to developing skin cancer in the future. This is why it’s always important to use sunscreen and other precautions to protect yourself from the sun.
To learn about some ways to get rid of acne, read our article on Acne Treatments That Really Work.
